The invention relates generally to a lift gate system for a motor vehicle and is especially well adapted for deployment on pickup trucks.
Prior art lift gates were complex devices that required modification to the vehicle frame and electrical system. Because of this, it was generally not practical to move such lift gates from one vehicle to another. An easily movable lift gate system would be desirable.
Also, prior art lift gates generally relied solely upon the vehicle for support. This placed a fairly low practical limit on their lift capacity. A more robust lift gate design is needed.
Further, prior art lift gates generally could not function with a vehicle tail gate in place. Recent studies suggest that removal of the tail gate harms fuel efficiency. A lift gate that permits the vehicle tail gate to remain in position would be more economical to use.
It is an object of the invention to provide a vehicle lift gate system which overcomes the above noted deficiencies of the prior art systems.